Nineteen years ago, Jo Ballard was involved in a serious car accident at Bacchus Marsh’s Avenue of Honour. She broke her kneecaps and suffered several other injuries.
For a long time afterwards, walking was painful for the Long Forest woman.
But now she’s not only as fit as ever, she and husband John have taken part in 10 RACV Great Victorian Bike Rides.
“I needed rehab after the accident, so I gradually began going to the local pool and gym, and to continue building my strength I started riding a bike locally,” Ms Ballard says.
And when John encouraged her to do the 500-kilometre, 10-day cycling challenge in 2004, she says she was “apprehensive and fearful” at first.
But since then she has embraced every opportunity to combine sightseeing with cycling and has ridden her bike through Cambodia, France, Italy, Western Australia and Tasmania.
“If I see an 84-year-old lady riding her bike up those hills, I think to myself, if she can do it, I can do it,” Ms Ballard says.
While she still hesitates to ride her bike on busy roads, Ms Ballard says she enjoys riding through back roads and taking in all nature has to offer, especially the kangaroos.
In this year’s event, cyclists will ride 500 kilometres in pairs through Victoria’s historic Goldfields region from Saturday, November 28, to Sunday, December 6.
“Meeting the same people every year is wonderful,” Ms Ballard says. “It’s lovely to hear what they’ve been doing for the past year.”
To register for the event or for more information, visit greatvic.com.au
